Update 3/26: Today we’ve released a new Skyrim beta update, version 1.5.26, that introduces the following fixes:

BUG FIXES

Fixed issue with frequency of first person kill cameras

Underwater effects now display properly

Fixed crash when loading certain plugins

Fixed issue where sun would not appear properly after fast travel

Original Post: Released last week as a Beta, Skyrim’s 1.5 update is now available to all users on Steam. Those playing on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 can expect the update soon, as we’re submitting the update to console manufacturers this week.

UPDATE 1.5 (all platforms unless noted)

NEW FEATURES

New cinematic kill cameras for projectile weapons and spells

New kill moves and animations for melee weapons

Shadows on grass available (PC)

Smithing skill increases now factor in the created item’s value

Improved visual transition when going underwater

Improved distance LOD transition for snowy landscapes

BUG FIXES

General crash fixes and memory optimizations

Fixed issue with Deflect Arrows perk not calculating properly

In “A Cornered Rat,” the death of certain NPCs no longer blocks progression

Fixed issue where Farkas would not give Companion’s quests properly

Fixed crash when loading saves that rely on data that is no longer being loaded

Followers sneak properly when player is sneaking

Fixed issue with weapon racks not working properly in Proudspire Manor

Arrows and other projectiles that were stuck in objects in the world now clean up properly

Bethesda, when are you going to spend some time on the console patches that need addressing

– atomic ninroot issue
– letrush spawning issue
– ** and the fact ya’ll keep lowering the graphics detail on the 360 (wtf – patch 1.3 was amazing / patch 1.4 was aweful with what you did to the 360 graphics

People are pissed bethesda
Check your hardware forum GStaff – ( no feedback from anyone at bethesda – we have had 1 post from a bethesda employee in the past month and a half and that was about a week and a half ago about 1.5 coming soon
Why have a forum if you never check or respond on it?

And please quit concentrating on pc fixes

Ya’ll made the majority of your money from this game off consoles and now we are getting left behind on issues

What a joke?
This might be the last Bethesda product I buy considering what they have done to the xbox version and the lack of communication in the hardware forum

Is this patch going to fix “The Book of Love” and “The Glory of the Dead” glitches? It’s very frustrating that it’s been 4 months since the game came out, and such significant bugs that prevent quests from being completed still exist.

And I’m bringing attention to big holes that still haven’t been fixed 4 months after the release date of the game. Maybe instead of patching a couple things at a time, next time they should wait until they have a finished game to release it. It doesn’t give me a lot of incentive to buy on day one, if the tools needed to finish quest lines (some quite major) aren’t even available until 6 months later, when the game is likely at the point where it’s starting to be marked down anyway?

Official updates typically get submitted to Sony and Microsoft once they’re released on Steam. The process takes 1-2 weeks for the console manufacturers to get them out to users. This isn’t new – why do people keep asking this?

I really hope the next update is more concentrated on quest bugs and the various simple fixes that should’ve been addressed already. Setting the GMST ‘ideathdropweaponchance’ to ‘0’ would optimise memory usage and cleanup without any side effects. The nirnroots still need fixing, as do the plethora of quests that stick in the misc log upon completion. The worst being Esberns Potion, as it does not have the intended effect – I hope this will be fixed retroactively or at least allow us to re-make the potion. Missing out on that perk is a real downer 🙁

I’ve just gone over the changelog and listened to the latest podcast. Sadly, the moderator completely FAILED to ask some of the key questions the modding community would like to know. Number one on that list for me is:

Are there any plans to fix the LOD system / make it possible to create new World Spaces without the use of hacked 3rd party tools? 🙁

The Script Dragon error comes from Script Dragon being outdated, not from these updates. Go pester the author of Script Dragon. SKSE gets updated during the beta so this doesn’t happen, but Script Dragon typically does not.

I get a very annoying bug that makes shadows follow the character and move uncontrollably as i move, for instance when i move there is this shadow square that is cast form nothingness and stays on the screen even if i turn around. Please fix this.

On the PS3 version I’ve been experiencing some lag issues with my level 28 character (primary). It’s gotten to the point where if I move the character or the camera it begins to lag, even more so in areas like Solitude or High Hrothgar. Is there/going to be a fix for this? My save file size just hit 6012 KB

Does this mean a saner way to level smithing than just grinding iron daggers? Diminishing returns for cheap stuff, increasing ones for fancy gear?

I hope so, as that’d help a lot with immersion, having to actually work your way up the tree and craft the best items you can make, in order to advance your skill. Especially if you only had to make a relatively small number at each step in order to advance.

Sounds fantastic! The one idea I had was slow-mo arrow kills and magic, plus more executions. I’d still like to see a Zombie Dragon or two. Perhaps, some new weapon forms like spears, dragon weapons were a big disappointing minus.

I REALLY wish these update announcements would come prior to the actual updates themselves, so that we cautious types could do a precautionary save at present patchlevel… My beta test of this patch was not promising, and to then have it rather abruptly foisted on me with no notice…

Still no fix for the dual-wielding problems encountered by anyone wanting to hotkey separate items?
Thanks for teh action-bits, but I’d like to not have to fumble around every time I go from bow or spell back to my swords…

Question: I have a glitch with the “Revealing the Unseen” quest- the quest finishes, but the next quest, “Containment” will not start. Savos Aren is dead outside the College after the explosion, but none of the people at the College notice he is dead (and even walk over him), do not display the correct dialogue, and thus I can’t continue on the next College quest. I’ve tried reloading from a number of save points with no luck, waiting, etc., but no luck. Thoughts?

This update breaks the rendering of shadows in stereoscopic 3D. Skyrim has been one of the best 3D games ever, and has one of the largest 3D gaming communities to date. With this update, the game is unplayable in 3D. We’re devastated that we’ll be unable to play our favorite game because of shortcuts taken in the rendering of shadows. Please, Bethesda – hear us, fix the shadows, and continue to support stereoscopic gaming in the future.